Page 22 of The Runaway Wives

‘She’s right, it was an accident. We tried to explain but you wouldn’t listen,’ Dee said calmly, feeling the need to support her friend and defend themselves in front of Kenny and the others, albeit in a quieter way than Babs.

‘Which has happened to me a few times. I know you care about keeping the beach safe, Glenn, but don’t be too hasty to jump to conclusions. Dee is definitely not a litter lout and I’m quite sure her friend isn’t either.’ Kenny sprang to their defence.

Glenn nodded curtly. ‘Glad to hear it.’

Dee could see that Babs was seething and the look she gave Glenn was scathing. She didn’t blame her though, the man was a jerk and had no right to embarrass them in such a public way over a hand wipe, for goodness’ sake. She took a seat opposite Kenny. Babs pulled out the one beside her and sat down, realising too late that she was opposite Glenn. They would glare at each other all evening now, as she got the impression Glenn was just as stubborn as Babs. Dee fixed a smile on her face and attempted to change the conversation. ‘Have you finished your fundraising meeting?’ she asked Kenny.

‘Just wrapped it up,’ he replied. ‘We’re hoping to raise enough money at the Manor on Saturday to put six months’ rent down on the old warehouse, then we can start letting it out into separate spaces for the artists.’

‘I think that’s such a good idea,’ Dee said enthusiastically.

‘It is, but we’re running out of original ideas to raise funds,’ Cath told her.

‘Dee does a lot of fundraising, don’t you?’ Babs turned to Dee. ‘I bet you’ve got lots of ideas.’

‘That’s useful to know, Dee. What sort of things did you do to raise funds?’ Cath asked.

Dee thought about it, some of the things they did, such as Charity challenges, wouldn’t work for this. ‘How about virtual fundraising events? You could all give an online demonstration of your skills, a painting workshop, jewellery making, glass blowing, etc., for a donation to be used towards the Artists’ Studios? Maybe you could have some practical workshops that the public could join in with at the garden party?’

‘Or a fun event such as an Open Mic night? A pirate and mermaid fancy dress?’ Babs added.

Everyone looked impressed. ‘Great ideas, ladies,’ Kenny said approvingly.

‘It’s a shame you have to go back on Saturday, and can’t join in the fun,’ Teri said.

‘That’sifwe go back,’ Babs muttered darkly.

‘Do I detect man trouble?’ Cath asked. ‘If you want to offload, we’re all ears, but equally if you prefer not to talk about it, that’s fine too.’

Babs swigged back the last of her spritzer. ‘My husband has decided that, now we’re retired, he’s going to sell up and live in Spain, whether I want to or not.’ She swept her gaze over the group. ‘And I don’t want to. So I’ve run away until he takes the house off the market and considers my feelings too.’

Cath clapped. ‘Good for you.’ The others joined in.

‘I think that’s appalling.’ Kenny’s eyes rested on Dee. ‘It sounds like you’ve both “run away”. I hope your situation isn’t similar.’

Dee could feel everyone watching her and wondered whether to say anything. Her reason sounded a bit immature compared to Babs.

She shrugged. ‘It doesn’t sound like much but Nigel, my husband, is always going off with his mates golfing and this year he decided to go off with them to Portugal on my sixtieth birthday. So when Babs said she was going away, I thought I’d join her. We looked online for a holiday cottage in Cornwall, found Sunset View and here we are.’

There was another clap at this. All apart from Glenn.

‘Well, power to you, ladies,’ he said, ‘for putting the men in your life in place, but that holiday cottage could provide a home for local working people if people like you weren’t prepared to pay extortionate rents for it. People like you are driving the locals out of their own area, making them move away from family and friends.’ He pushed his chair back and stood up.

Babs glared at him. ‘Oi! It’s the landlords that buy the properties and turn them into holiday lets, charging extortionate rents, not the holidaymakers! And you can’t blame people for wanting to get away from the rat race for a week or two.’

‘Can’t I? You holidaymakers take up homes our kids need to live in, litter our beaches with your rubbish, then go home until the next time you feel like a week or two in the sun. You don’t care about the damage you do to those of us who live and work down here.’ He turned and walked off to the bar to get another drink.

Babs and Dee looked at each other, speechless.

‘Well, he’s a right ray of sunshine, isn’t he?’ Babs said.

There was a silence around the table then Kenny said, ‘He’s a single dad, his wife died a couple of years ago. Last week his young daughter, Sammi, cut her leg on broken glass left on the beach, just missed an artery and could have bled to death. She’s all he’s got.’

Dee gasped and put her hand to her mouth. ‘How awful.’

‘So that’s why he was mad when he thought we were littering the beach,’ Babs said. ‘Although he didn’t have to be so rude.’

‘I know, but Glenn’s going through it a bit at the moment,’ Cath added. ‘He’s struggling to find accommodation he can afford. He might have to move away from the village and he’s lived down here all his life That will be a big blow for him, especially as the lady next door is like a grandmother to Sammi. She’s looking after her tonight.’

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